New Delhi, July 30 -- Australia's online safety regulator has initiated legal proceedings against messaging platform Telegram, alleging that it failed to remove extremist and terrorist-related content despite repeated warnings from authorities.

The civil case, filed in the Australian Federal Court, is being seen as a significant test of Australia's 2021 online safety law, which requires digital platforms to take reasonable steps to detect and remove illegal and pro-terror material from their services. If found liable, Telegram could face penalties of up to A$54.6 million (about $38 million).

The lawsuit centres on content linked to some of the world's most notorious extremist attacks, including videos of the 2019 Christchurch mosque sho...